


Never Enough

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Angst, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2000-09-09
Updated: 2000-09-09
Packaged: 2019-05-15 02:54:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 7,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14782289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: The strength of Jed and Abbey's marriage is put to the test.





	1. Never Enough

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

Never Enough 

by Rhiannon and AJ

Disclaimers: Just two girls having some fun. 

Summary: Jed and Abbey have a strong relationship, right? 

Notes: Rhiannon and I had so much fun teaming up, being EVIL, with The Valley of the Shadow, we decided we had to do it again, and this is the by product. Enjoy.

 

Jed looked up from his desk, as the doors to the Oval Office opened and his lovely wife entered. "Hello." He said as his heart went aflutter at her entrance.

"I got tired of waiting for you to come back to the residence, so I'm gonna wait in here for you to finish whatever it is you're doing." Abbey said as she laid down on one of the couches.

"Have I really been in here that long?" Jed asked, genuinely not having a clue.

"Jed, it's ten o'clock at night. You said you'd be back two hours ago." Abbey sounded from the couch.

Looking at his watch, he said, "Oops. Okay, well I'm almost finished here, just give me a minute."

"Whatever." Abbey muttered as she closed her eyes. 

~~~ 

About an hour later, Jed finally finished what he was doing, and looked up over at the couch, to his sleeping wife. Quietly walking over there, he knelt down by her side and gently roused her awake with the touch of his lips against hers.

"Huh?" She mummbled, as she woke up.

"Come on, it's time to go back to the residence. Let's go." He began to help her up.

"What time is it?" Abbey asked very sleepily.

"Eleven. Sorry, it took me longer than a minute."

"I knew it would." She smiled at him as they moved out of the office and down the hall.

Breaking the silence that accompanied them from the time they left the office, Jed said, "Have I told you lately how much I love you?"

Lost in thought for a moment, Abbey responded, "No, not lately."

Stopping right outside their bedroom doors, Jed took her by the arms, "Well, I'll just have to remedy that."

"You will?" Abbey giggled as Jed opened their bedroom doors and guided her in.

After shutting and locking the doors Jed advanced on her until she fell against the bed. "I will." He said as he climbed up on top of her and began to passionately kiss her. When the kiss broke, he said, "I love you, Abigail."

"Prove it." She responded.

"Give me a chance, and I will." He leaned in for another kiss, but stopped as she began to speak again.

"Stop talking and just do it." She smiled.

"You're the one doing all the talking." Jed said through short little kisses he spread all over her neck.

TBC...

  

  


	2. Never Enough 2

Never Enough 

by Rhiannon and AJ

 

Abbey woke to the ringing of the telephone. She glanced at her husband's face; he was sound asleep. She sighed as she untangled herself out of his arms and leaned over him to answer the phone, "Hello?"

"Abigail Bartlet?"

"Yes, who is this?"

"Ron Erlich, did I wake you?"

"Yeah, but that's fine." Abbey said, glancing over at Jed. "What's up?"

Erlich paused, "I don't quite know how to tell you this Abbey, but..."

"But what? What are you talking about?"

"Some... things have come to my attention." Erlich began.

"What things, Ron?"

"You know I care a great deal about you, right?" Erlich said. "I don't want to say or do anything that's going to hurt you... but-"

"Just tell me," Abbey said, fighting to keep her voice down.

"I've had some... people come to me with the concern that the President hasn't been... faithful to you during this presidency."

Abbey felt the blood in her veins turn to ice, "I don't believe you."

"Abbey," Erlich said. "I know... I didn't believe it either ... until..."

"Until what?"

"Until I saw some pictures and... I'm sorry Abbey, but I had a reporter and a private detective follow some people..." Erlich said gently.

"I want to see your pictures and I want to read what these people have told you," Abbey said, her voice ice cold. "Send them to my office."

"I already have," Erlich replied. "Abbey... I'm sorry. I couldn't keep this to myself... I had to tell you."

"Yeah, sure." Abbey said, hanging up the phone. She turned to her husband and found him beginning to stir.

TBC...

  


	3. Never Enough 3

Never Enough 

by Rhiannon and AJ

 

Notes: With a stroke of luck, both Rhiannon and I were thinking last night, hard to believe, we know. Anyway, if all goes as planned, this story should be turned into a series of three stories.

"Abbey?" Jed said as he began to stir awake.

"Huh?" She responded.

"Who was that on the phone?" Jed felt Abbey moving off of him and back over to her side of the bed.

"No one important. Go back to sleep." Abbey gave him a peck on the cheek as she tried to rationalize the phone call she just received.

"Okay." Jed responded, never fully having woken up. He reached over and grabbed her in his arms, pulling her body close to his.

When he finally went back to sleep, Abbey was still awake. The only thing on her mind... that phone call. Could it be true? Is it possible?

Could he really...?

Ron said he had proof...

Abbey untangled herself from his arms once again and climbed out of bed. She quietly went into her closet and got dressed and slipped out of their bedroom before he had a chance to realize that she was gone.

Entering her office, she threw the light on nervously as she looked to her desk and found a big yellow envelope with her name on it, in Ron's handwriting.

Apprehensively, she moved over to sit at her desk and picked the envelope up, into her hands. About fifty times she moved to open it, but every time, the fear of the possibilities stopped her from doing it.

Hearing a noise out in the hallways, Abbey quickly threw the envelope in one of her desk drawers, just in time before a light tap was heard on her door.

"Come in." Her voice sounded very shaky.

"I thought I'd find you down here. So, have you opened it yet?" Ron moved in further into her office.

"No, I haven't." Abbey said as she pulled the envelope back out of the desk drawer.

"Abbey, you know I wouldn't be making this up. You know I only want what's in your best interest. You know me well enough to know that, right?" Ron sat down on a chair in front of her desk.

"If what you say is true, I don't really know anything." Abbey said quietly as she closed her eyes and finally opened up the envelope, pulling out the contents.

Her eyes widened and tears began to fall from her eyes when she opened them and saw what lay before her.

TBC...

  


	4. Never Enough 4

Never Enough 

by Rhiannon and AJ

 

Abbey waded through the endless sea of pictures as Ron sat silently in front of her. Her tears began to fall almost at once. Her heart felt as if it was being ripped from her body... but she forced herself to keep looking.

She picked up the packets of paper and began to read through it. Finally, she looked up at Ron, "And how long has this been going on?"

Ron looked uncomfortable, "Abbey I-"

"How long?" she repeated, her voice deathly cold.

"Since he entered office," Ron replied quietly. "That's as far back as my information goes... I don't know about before..."

Abbey looked off into space, "So this could have been happening for thirty-two years..."

"Abbey..."

"And I've known nothing about it... nothing..."

Ron stared at her for a long moment. He was truly frightened by the lifeless tone in the usual vibrant voice that emanated from the woman before him... All at once he wished he had never told her... but she had a right to know, "Abbey?"

Abbey sighed as she brought her attention back to the man before her, "I'm fine Ron... Thank you," she rose from her desk, envelope in hand. "Can you see yourself out?... I have some thinking to do."

Ron nodded as he watched her walk out the door. ~~~ Abbey walked down the halls of the White House. She found herself standing outside her bedroom door... She felt an icy coldness clamp down on her soul. She placed a hand on the doorknob and opened the door.

As she walked in, she looked to her bed... their bed. It was empty... she tilted her head and finally heard the shower running.

Abbey walked over to the couch and sat down, staring at the bathroom door. She waited quietly and patiently for the door to open. Finally, she was rewarded.

Jed opened the door and stopped short when he saw Abbey sitting on the couch, watching him, "Hey Babe, you left early this morning..."

Abbey stared at him without making a sound.

Jed glanced at her, concern filling his eyes, "Abbey?"

Abbey glanced down at the envelope in her hands. She looked back up at him and threw the envelope to him.

He missed and the contents scattered over the floor around him. Jed stared down at the pictures that littered the bedroom floor as Abbey watched him with stony silence.

TBC...


	5. Never Enough 5

Never Enough 

by Rhiannon and AJ

 

Jed stood there in the middle of their bedroom, still dripping wet from the shower he just got out of. He had absolutely no clue how to explain the pictures scattered around him...

Caught...

Caught in a bad way...

A very bad way...

When Jed made no coherent attempt to explain the pictures, Abbey ran into her closet and ferociously began to pack a suitcase.

Jed silently entered the walk-in closet and tried to say something, but no words would come out.

Abbey took notice of his presence, which only infuriated her all the more. "Get the hell away from me, NOW!" She screamed at him at the top of her lungs.

"Abbey..." Jed said the first English words since Abbey threw the envelope at him.

"If you don't get THE HELL AWAY FROM ME NOW," Abbey began but noticed that he quietly retreated from the closet. Now, left alone, Abbey finished packing up as many clothes as she could fit inside of two suitcases, zipped them up, and walked out of the closet.

She quickly walked to the door of their room, then paused and looked back. The pictures still scattered all over the floor, and Jed standing in the middle of them, looking down on them as his life shattered into a million pieces.

As he began to turn his head back to her, to try some reasoning, she gave him an EVIL stare and then ran out of the room.

When Abbey began to run, she really had no place to go to. Jed knew all of her hiding places. He knew where she loved to go to escape. To get away from it all. He knew her so well... But did she know him?

"Why Josiah?... Why?... How?... I loved you so much, how could you do this to me?" She asked herself as she entered her hotel room.

Throwing her suitcases on the ground, she collapsed on the bed, and cried a river into her pillow.

"Why?... I loved you so much, why?"

TBC...

  


	6. Never Enough 6

Never Enough 

by Rhiannon and AJ

 

Jed kneeled down in the ocean of pictures around him... He had tried so hard to keep this from Abbey... so very hard...

And now... and now she knew... She knew everything...

The look of stony coldness that had been Abbey face when he had walked out of the bathroom would haunt him for the rest of his life... The rage she had shown when he had tried to talk to her...

And the betrayal that had seared through his body...

The look of not quite hatred that Abbey had shot at him as she turned to leave...

His world was over... The pretty little life that he had tried so hard to maintain was crumbling down around him... and there was nothing he could do...

Jed felt hot tears as they ran down his face like a waterfall. He brushed them away, but they were replaced by a fresh wave.

He sat quietly as the tears poured down his face. ~~~ Leo McGarry walked into the bedroom of the President and First Lady with worry. Charlie had rushed into his office saying that the President was sitting on the floor and wouldn't budge or say a word.

Leo approached his oldest friend, "Mr. President?"

Nothing...

Leo knelt beside him, "Mr. President?"

"She's gone, Leo..."

"Who's gone, sir?"

"Abbey."

Leo felt a chill run down his back at the tone of his friend's voice, "Why is she gone?"

Jed didn't answer, instead he handed Leo a picture that had been in his hand. Leo looked at the picture, stunned by what he saw. He finally took notice of the other pictures that were scattered around Jed. Leo picked several of them up. He looked back to the man sitting next to him, "Jed..."

Jed finally looked at him.

Leo sat stunned, "What have you done?"

Jed simply stared at him in silence.

After a moment, Leo dropped the pictures and rose from Jed's side. He walked towards the door. Jed's voice stopped him.

"Where are you going?"

Leo paused without turning around, "I'm going to go look for my friend..."

TBC...

  


	7. Never Enough 7

Never Enough 

by Rhiannon and AJ

 

After having a very long cry, Abbey realized that she forgot to ask Ron about something, so she picked the phone up and dialed his number. "Ron, it's Abbey. Can you talk right now?" Her voice was very shaky.

"Abbey, you don't sound to good. Tell me where you are, I'm going to come to you. We can talk in person."

"I'm in the St. Regis hotel." Abbey replied. "Ron?"

"Yeah, Abbey?"

"You mentioned something about reading some papers or something like that..." Tears began to form in Abbey's eyes again.

"Yeah, I did." He kept his reply short.

"Can you bring them with you, please?"

"Abbey... I... I don't think that's such a good idea." Ron said, genuinely looking out for her best interest.

"Ron, please? I need to know everything."

Giving out a loud sigh, Ron said, "Okay, I can be there in 20 minutes."

"Thank you." Abbey responded as she hung the phone up. ~~~ True to his word, 20 minutes later, there was a knock on Abbey's hotel door. Abbey sluggishly got up and went to it to answer it, revealing Ron. When she opened the door, Ron could tell that Abbey had just been crying, but she had tried to cover the tears up.

"Thank you for coming so soon, Ron." Abbey was physically trembling as she stood there.

"Abbey, you don't look to good. Come on, over here, sit down." Ron guided her over to a chair and sat her down.

"Do you have the papers I asked for?" Abbey's voice cracked. She really did not want to read whatever it was, yet she really did.

"Yeah, I have 'em right here." Ron handed the papers.

Abbey didn't respond, she didn't even bother to make eye contact with him as she opened up the envelope. With tears already in her eyes, she began to read the contents to herself, as she already recognized the handwriting as Jed's.

'Dear Meredith, Abbey is going away again. This time for four weeks. I don't know where she's going. I've stopped paying attention at this point. The only thing I care about is spending time with you. Please tell me that you will be able to come and spend some time with me. I need you, Meredith. I'm finding myself needing you more and more as time goes by. I'm thinking of leaving Abbey, but I don't want to cause a scandal. But I'd do it... for you... I'd do it if you ask me to. I love you Meredith. I love you. Jed.'

When Abbey finished reading the letter, she shifted through some more of the pieces of papers, to find much of the same thing, over and over again. Then she looked up at Ron, trying her hardest to choke the tears back.

Ron moved in to comfort her, but before he could, there was a knock at the door. Abbey tried to get up, really, she did. But she couldn't do it. She was afraid that it would be Jed, and she just couldn't face him. Not ever again.

Ron took notice of Abbey not moving, and of the pounding on the door getting louder, and decided to go and answer it. When he did, he was surprised to find Leo.

Leo looked up at Ron, very curious as to why he was there, but he decided against saying anything. He just took a few more steps into the room until he could see Abbey. His gaze was soft, and genuinely worried for her well being.

Abbey caught Leo's figure out of the corner of her eye and glanced up. She returned the same soft look that he gave her. Then she heard a door shut, to find that Ron Erlich was no longer present.

Leo noticed it too, and then took a few more steps into the room, until he was right up on Abbey. Kneeling down by her side, he reached up and wiped her tears away. "Oh, Abbey..."

TBC...

  


	8. Never Enough 8

Never Enough 

by Rhiannon and AJ

 

Abbey gazed at Leo through teary eyes, "He was going to leave me Leo... He told her he'd leave me for her..."

"What?" Leo breathed.

Without a word, Abbey handed him the stack of letters that were in her hands. She leaned against his shoulder as the tears continued to stream down her face.

Leo took the letters and read them... Letter after letter he read of his best friend's infidelity... His best friend... Leo choked back the anger that was building inside of him... President or no President... Leo wasn't sure if he could be in the same room with Jed Bartlet ever again without causing the other man extreme physical harm.

This affair had been going on for years... and Leo had never even noticed it... He had never even sensed that something was amiss. He had always looked to Jed and Abbey's marriage as the way a marriage should be... but now... it had been a sham... a painful sham...

'Damn you, Jed,' Leo thought to himself. He threw the letters to the side and made Abbey sit up. He forced her to look in his eyes, "It's going to be okay Abbey... Do you hear me?"

"How?" Abbey asked, with the innocence of a small child. "How's it going to be all right? How is anything going to be all right, now?"

"Because I'm here... okay?" Leo responded. "I'm here and I'm going to make sure that you won't be hurt by Jed anymore..."

"I loved him Leo... there wasn't anything I wouldn't do for him..." Abbey whispered, falling into him.

"I know Abbey, I know." Leo whispered as he picked her up and out of the chair. He carried her over to the bed and gently laid her down. He began to move away, but Abbey clung to him.

"Please, Leo," she begged. "Don't leave me..."

Leo's heart broke at the destruction he heard in her voice. He climbed onto the bed and pulled her into his arms, "I'm not going to leave you Abbey... I won't ever leave you."

Abbey tightened her grip on him, "Promise?"

"I promise," Leo whispered. Kissing the top of her head, he muttered, "Now, go to sleep. I'm here and everything's going to be all right... I won't let anything hurt you."

Abbey nodded as she drifted of to sleep feeling, for the first time in what seemed like forever, safe.

TBC....

  


	9. Never Enough 9

Never Enough 

by Rhiannon and AJ

 

When Abbey woke up from her nap, she felt the warmth emancipating from a body. She turned her head to see Leo, holding her in his arms. "Leo..." She called out, trying to find out if he were awake.

"Yeah?" He softly responded.

"Tell me it was all a dream. Tell me that Jed didn't really have an affair on me. Tell me that it's all going to be okay." She began, tears threatening her somewhat together composure.

"Abbey, I..." Leo wanted to promise his friend the things she needed to hear, but he couldn't lie to her. She had already been lied to by the man she loves. If there was anything she needed right now, anything at all, it was to hear the truth. No matter how painful. "I can't lie to you, Abbey."

"That's what I thought." Abbey said as she rolled out of his arms, over to the other side of the bed. "Damn him! Who does he think he is to make such a fool out of me? I loved him... I still do. Damn him!" With these words, Abbey completely lost it... again... for like the millionth time since she found out the truth.

Leo crossed the bed, and gathered her back into his arms. Gently blowing the hair out of her eyes, his hold on her became stronger.

Realizing for the first time that she was on a bed, with someone other than her husband, in a strong embrace, Abbey began to get confused. She looked up at him, somewhat loosening herself from his, oh so friendly, arms. "Leo..."

Leo looked at her, and took note of the look in her eyes. Perhaps confusing it with something that it wasn't, he slowly began to kiss her... very passionately.

The kiss lasted for what must have been a decade. Each other completely losing themselves in the other's arms.

When the kiss broke, their lips parted, and Leo was the first to speak, "I'm sorry Abbey. I shouldn't have. Maybe I should go now." Leo began to rise from the bed, but felt a strong, yet gentle hand on his arm.

A few seconds later, Abbey was standing up, before him, leaning into him for another kiss. "I wasn't complaining." Abbey said between the kiss that at least matched the other one in the passion department.

When their second kiss came to an end, minutes after it began, Abbey lovingly gazed into his eyes as she backed him up to the bed.

"Are you sure?" Leo's voice gave away the fact that he wanted to do what he knew they were about to do. But he wasn't sure if Abbey was in the right frame of mind... did she really want him? Or was it more out of rebound? Either way, Leo didn't really care. He had wanted something like this to happen for oh so long. Perhaps from the moment he met her... but she was Jed's then... not anymore.

"Yes, I am." Abbey said as they carefully climbed into bed, never breaking their third kiss.

TBC...


	10. Never Enough 10

Never Enough 

by Rhiannon and AJ

 

A few days later, Jed was in the Oval Office, trying to get some work done. Something that hadn't been too easy to do as of late. Not since his little secret came out.

Jed and Abbey were the talk of town. The talk of the United States. The talk of the entire world. And if there is life on other planets, they were sure to be the subject of those conversations as well.

Ever since his staff found out, they began to distance themselves from their president. From the man that they served at the pleasure of. The many offices that the White House was rich in, were all very tense. But none of them could come close to the intensity that surrounded the Oval Office. Especially during a senior staff meeting.

Sighing as he moved a brief down from his glance, and fixated his eyes on some unimportant blob outside, the door began to open. Turning his head, he found Mrs. Landingham.

"Sir, there is a Mr. Neuman outside." The elderly secretary said, with absolutely no compassion in her voice at all.

"Whoever he is, send him away." The President commanded.

"He really needs to see you, sir." Mrs. Landingham said as she exited the office and a man in his early 40's entered.

"Mr. President." The man said.

"What?" Jed asked, no interest in his voice at all.

Handing him some papers, he said, "You have been served." Then he quickly retreated from the very intimidating office before Jed could say anything.

Jed didn't bother to open the packet laying out before him on his desk. He knew what it was. He knew what was in it. He knew that they said his life was over.

As he stared down at the thing on his desk, he heard some hushed voices in the office to his left. Recognizing them as his Chief of Staff and his... his... his wife, he toiled over the idea of going in there and kidnapping Abbey.

But instead, he just stayed sitting at his desk. His eyes in the direction of the packet in front of him. His mind in the direction of the door. And his heart torn in millions of different directions. Abbey... Zoey, Elizabeth, Jennifer... Annie, Marrah...

Meredith...

Finally finding enough... could it be strength? Whatever it was, he found it, and opened the packet to reveal the divorce papers he knew were inside. Giving out a loud sigh, he stood up and somehow found himself standing right next to the door connecting his office to Leo's... To where Abbey was...

His hand reached down to the doorknob, but his brain couldn't communicate with it any further to get it to open the door. But then, he didn't have to. Slowly, but surely, the door began to open itself from the otherside...

Completely unease, Abbey and Leo entered the office to immediately come face to face with Jed.

TBC...


	11. Never Enough 11

Never Enough 

by Rhiannon and AJ

 

Abbey shrank back, instinctively looking for support. Leo placed a hidden hand on her back. It was a small contact, especially after the nights they had spent together, but it was enough to see her through what was sure to be a difficult meeting with Jed.

Jed stared at Abbey for a long moment, unsure of what to say. Finally he glanced back at his desk and the packet of papers, "I got the divorce papers."

Abbey nodded, "Yeah... I know."

"Okay..."

"Okay." Abbey stared at him for a long moment and then shook her head as she turned away from the man she had spent thirty-two years old her life with. "Why Jed? Why?"

Jed closed his eyes, "She was there... She made me feel loved... She made me feel special..."

Abbey turned back to him, "And I don't? When we made love, I never made you feel special? I never made you feel loved? Is that it?"

"Abbey I-"

"I adored you..." Abbey took a deep breath. "You were... without a question, the most important thing in my life..."

"You weren't here..."

"So you looked for a warm body?" Abbey demanded, her temper starting to flare. "You told her that you'd leave me for her if she asked... You were afraid of a scandal, but you'd face it for her... But what about me? Huh? Thirty-two years and three children don't mean a damn thing when you can get someone else in your bed?"

Jed reacted to her anger, "You were never here! You were always gone! What the hell was I supposed to do? Just wait around?"

Leo, finally having enough, thundered, "By God in Heaven Jed, YES! That's what you were supposed to do! It's called having a marriage!" Leo turned to Abbey, "It's called loving someone with all your heart and doing everything in your power to make them happy and to protect them from hurt and harm." Leo turned back to Jed, "Not hoping in bed with some woman for a cheap thrill."

Forgetting who he was, Jed threw himself on top of Leo and began to rain down blows. Leo immediately began to defend himself. Abbey hurried to the door. Throwing it open she called to the agents, "Get the President off Mr. McGarry."

The agents immediately reacted, racing into the room. They pulled the two men apart and Abbey went to stand by Leo's side. She wrapped her arms around him, reminding him that she was there. Leo relaxed into her embrace, letting down his defenses. He turned his face to hers and, briefly, made eye contact. He nodded as he conceded to calm down.

It was at that moment that Jed saw something he hadn't seen before... Leo and Abbey... Jed waved off the agents, but never took his eyes off the two people standing before him.

Leo and Abbey turned to face him. And they both knew that he knew... Abbey lowered her eyes for a moment and then looked back up at Jed, "I'm staying with Leo if I'm needed for anything concerning the Office of the First Lady... Other than that... you can go to hell."

Leo held her arm and followed her out of the Oval Office, leaving Jed staring after them.

TBC...


	12. Never Enough 12

Never Enough 

by Rhiannon and AJ

 

When Leo and Abbey left his office, Jed went back over to his desk to stare at the papers that sat on it. His life was really tumbling down. And just like Humpty Dumpty, all of the Kings horses and all of the Kings men couldn't put it back together again...

No matter how hard they tried...

Jed having enough of being in the office for the day, decided to return to the residence early. Not like he was doing anything at all at work.

He felt like surrounding himself in the memories of the life that was so quickly slipping from him. No better place than their... his bedroom.

Having enough of the quiet solace the room provided, Jed went over to the stereo and turned it on.

Everybody needs a little time away I heard her say From each other Even lovers need a holiday Far away From each other

Maybe that's all that Abbey needs. Maybe she just needs a holiday from him. Some time alone. Time to herself. Yeah, that's what it must be... She's gonna come back to him, Jed thought as he listened to the song. She has to.

Hold me now It's hard for me to say I'm sorry I just want you to stay

Abbey knows how hard it has always been for Jed to say that he is sorry. Even when he knows he is wrong... He's never been more wrong in his life, than he is right now. Never... But he is sorry. Truly, he is. He was just caught up in the comfort that Meredith had been able to supply him on those lonely nights. But he didn't want Meredith... He wanted Abbey...

After all that we've been through I will make it up to you I promise to And after all that's been said and done You're just the part of me I can't let go

Jed refused to give up on his marriage. There is no damn way in hell he will ever concede to sign those divorce papers. And there is no way he will ever be able to take Leo and Abbey seriously... She is just doing it to Jed, to get back at him. That's what it is... But they have always had a strong relationship. They will get it back. Things will return to normal... They have to...

Couldn't stand to be kept away Just for the day From your body

Jed loves Abbey. He always did. He loves everything about her. Her mind, her body... He never could stand it when they were apart... Which to him, seemed like all the time. That's why he turned to Meredith... He was in need of someone... Abbey was never there. She was always enough, but never there...

Wouldn't wanna be swept away Far away From the one that I love

It was Abbey that Jed loves. Abbey... Not Meredith... But it was Abbey that he hurt so very much. He was responsible for sweeping their relationship away. Him, not her. Him... Yet he couldn't help but to think that if she would just stop being so damn stubborn, they could try again, and make it work...

Hold me now It's hard for me to say I'm sorry I just want you to know Hold me now I really want to tell you I'm sorry I could never let you go

Maybe there is a chance for Jed to get her back. Maybe if he went crawling to her on his hands and knees... maybe then... And he could tell her how sorry he is. And how he was so stupid for doing it in the first place. How he loves her, and refuses to let her go...

After all that we've been through I will make it up to you I promise to

Listening to the song, the words seemed to fit so well with his current life situation. They have been through a lot of things in the past... They can surely do it again. All he has to do is figure out a way to make it up to her... But will she take him back? Is she moving on with her life already? It's only been a few days...

And after all that's been said and done You're just the part of me I can't let go

If Abbey is moving on already, that doesn't mean that Jed has to give up on her. As long as she is still alive, he still has a chance to win her back... because she IS the part of him that he can't let go of. Which makes the fact that he cheated on her that much more stupid.

After all that we've been through I will make it up to you I promise to

That's it. He had to make it up to her. He had to at least try to, at any rate. He can't live without her. He can't...

Picking up the telephone, Jed began to dial a very familiar number to him. After someone on the other end picked up, he responded, "Meredith... I need to see you right away. It's very important."

TBC...


	13. Never Enough 13

Never Enough 

by Rhiannon and AJ

 

Jed waited nervously in his Presidential bedroom... Meredith was to arrive at any moment... He paced around the room, trying to keep his stomach in it's proper place.

Finally, after an eternity of waiting, there was a knock on the door and Jed turned to find the door to his bedroom slowly open. He waited until he saw a face appear.

Meredith walked into the room and silently closed the door behind her. Jed stood and took a moment to study this woman... This woman for whom, not so long ago, he had come close to destroying his family for... The woman that he had destroyed his family for.

She was tall... very thin. She had long blond hair and bright blue eyes... The first time Jed ever saw her he thought her an angel... She was soft spoken; Jed had never heard her raise her voice to anyone.

Meredith stood uncomfortably, waiting for him to speak.

Jed took a deep breath, "Meredith I-"

Meredith held up a hand, "Jed... stop, please... I've done a lot of thinking and... and I know you love your wife... I think I've always known that... I've seen you with her... and with your daughters... You'd never leave them..." she paused for a moment, before rushing on. "And I knew that... You don't belong with me... You don't belong to me... You belong with your wife and your girls... You belong to Abbey... This was a mistake... and we both know it."

Jed nodded his head, "Yeah... I know."

Meredith nodded, "Okay, then... Then we say good-bye today... and we don't see each other again... I go back to my life... and you go back to Abbey where you belong."

Jed nodded again as he walked towards the door. He opened it and they both walked out of the bedroom. He walked her to the stairs, "I'm sorry, Meredith."

Meredith gave him a sad little smile, "I know... Me too... I'm sorry I didn't meet you before Abbey... Now... go make things right with your wife," she whispered softly before kissing him gently and walking out of his life.

Jed stood there for a moment and then turned around...

There, standing in the middle of the hallway, were Jennifer and Zoey.

Jed froze, horrified to find his girls standing there.

Zoey stood with tears streaming down her face, holding on to her big sister as she always had when she was upset... a by product of her childhood.

Jennifer held her crying sister as she stared at her father with anger, betrayal and intense hurt blazoned across her face.

Jed took a step toward them, but Jennifer held up a hand.

"Don't..." she warned. "Don't try to explain why... just a few short hours after my mother serves you with divorce papers you have that woman in my mother's bedroom... Do NOT try to explain your way out of that..."

"Jenn-"

Jennifer gave him a smoldering look, "You can go straight to hell." She backed Zoey and herself away from him and guided her sister away from the man that had broken their hearts.

Jed watched them go... unable to respond... unable to move.

TBC...


	14. Never Enough 14

Never Enough 

by Rhiannon and AJ

Notes: This particular part is rated R due to language.

 

Finding himself outside of a door that he never thought he would ever be standing before again, Jed was very foreboding about his approach. Nervously knocking on the door, Jed stood there for a good minute or two until it began to open.

Abbey began to slam the door shut on his face, but he managed to stick a foot in the way before it was completely closed. "Ouch, damnit!" He proclaimed as the heavy door crashed with his foot. "Abbey..."

"Don't you dare Abbey me. And if you don't move your fuckin' foot right now, I will give you something to scream about." Abbey shouted at him. How dare he have the audacity to show up here. How dare he stop her from closing the door. How dare he yell at her.

How dare he cheat on her...

How dare he...

"I won't go until we talk." Jed said, doing his best to fake a calm voice.

"I have nothing to say to you, you fuckin' asshole. Get the hell away from me." Abbey swung the door open to get more leverage to slam it shut on his foot, but he managed to push his way through.

"JED! If you don't leave now, I will make you regret it."

"I said I'm not leaving until we talk, damnit." Jed advanced on Abbey. "And I meant it."

"Fine, you want to talk? You want to FUCKIN' talk? What would you like to talk about? The fact that you cheated on me? The fact that our girls caught you sneaking her out of your room? Or what? Why did you come here Jed? Why?"

Jed looked at his extremely infuriated wife. She had every reason to be pissed at him. Every right. But that didn't make him like it. Softly, Jed said, "I'm sorry... I love you."

"You don't get to love me anymore, Jed. Never again... Not ever again."

"I left her." He said quietly.

"Did you? Or did she leave you?" Abbey said, finding no comfort in his words, like he had hoped.

"In the interest of honesty, it may have been a mutual thing."

"GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE NOW!!! AND NEVER COME BACK!!!" Abbey screamed at him.

Hearing the very loud, very intense, very upset words of Abbey, Leo came running into his apartment, stopping dead in his tracks when he found Jed there. Leo looked to his former best friend, with the coldest eyes imaginable. Seeing Abbey's eyes light up as he heard the door open behind him, Jed spun around to see Leo.

TBC...


	15. Never Enough 15

Never Enough 

by Rhiannon and AJ

 

Leo glared at the man he once called his best friend. He let his eyes linger on Jed for a moment and then turned his attention to Abbey. He immediately softened his gaze, "Abbey?"

Abbey looked at Leo with complete trust, "I'm okay."

Satisfied that Abbey was indeed all right, Leo turned back to Jed, "Mr. President... with all do... respect... what the hell are you doing in my apartment? You're not welcome here."

Jed stood stunned at the intensity in Leo's voice, "I came here to talk to Abbey..."

"She doesn't have anything to say to you," Leo said. "But I do."

Jed looked at Leo, "What?"

"Do you know what it's like to have two girls appear on your doorstep in tears?" Leo asked. "Jennifer and Zoey came here after they caught you and that woman leaving your bedroom... Zoey was shattered.... Her Daddy was really a man who would cheat on his wife... And Jennifer... she cried in my arms for hours..."

"She told me to go to hell..." Jed replied.

Leo looked at him with no compassion, "Yeah... I bet she did. She had her little sister crying in her arms... And she cried as she told her mother..."

Jed looked back at Abbey. In her eyes, under the glare, he saw the pain he had caused. And he felt all of it rushing into his soul.

"Mr. President," Leo said, regaining Jed's attention. "I cannot serve under your presidency any longer... I handed in my resignation this morning. It should be on your desk when you return to the White House."

"Leo..." Jed trailed off.

"Abbey told you several times, I'm only going to say it once," Leo said. "Get out... now."

Jed slowly nodded his head as he walked towards the door. He opened it and started to leave. He paused for a moment and then turned to face the woman he loved more than life its self, "I love you Abbey... And I'm sorry... I... hope that one day you can forgive me... I-" Jed choked back the words as he quickly walked out the door.

The moment the door shut, tears fell down Abbey's face. Leo saw this and folded her up in his arms, "It's all right, Abbey... it's all right."

Abbey said nothing, choosing instead to bury herself farther into Leo's protective embrace.

THE END


End file.
